Bathory was a Swedish black metal/viking metal band formed in Vällingby in … Read Full Bio ↴Bathory was a Swedish black metal/viking metal band formed in Vällingby in 1983 and named after the infamous Hungarian countess Elizabeth Báthory. The band's frontman and main songwriter was Quorthon (Tomas Forsberg). Bathory's first four albums were "the blueprint for Scandinavian black metal". The band departed from this style on their fifth album, Hammerheart (1990), which is often cited as the first Viking metal album. Bathory continued in the Viking metal style throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, although the band returned to thrash metal with the albums Requiem (1994) and Octagon (1995). Bathory ended when Quorthon died from heart failure in 2004.

Vinterblot
Bathory Lyrics

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All male, nine by nine, hanging gently, swaying in the wind
The bark of ash absorbing the splattered heays of blood
For the return of the sun, a winter sacrifice
Ox, dog, horse, sheep and slave, all offered to the gods

The dusk of grey keeps falling upon the landscape bleak
White gently still the bodies away, hanging in god's tree
The ring of torches lighting up the heath, a ghostly shine

The mighty ash unites the earth with sky for all time

The golden meat flows freely, chant of the sun is sung
The runes are read out loud and clear, midwinter night is long

Life giving disc shall fill the sky once more in all its span
The vinterblot, a reawakening, hail Nordland

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Vinterblot by Bathory depict an ancient ritual of sacrificing animals and slaves in honor of the return of the sun during the winter solstice. The bodies of the victims are hanged on an ash tree while the bark absorbs their blood. The landscape is described as bleak and grey, emphasizing the coldness and darkness of winter. The torches used to light up the ritualistic area create a ghostly shine throughout the heath, adding to the eerie atmosphere. The meat of the sacrificed animals flows freely as the chant of the sun is sung and the runes are read out loud and clear. The ceremony serves as a reawakening, celebrating the return of light and life. The song ends with a hail to Nordland, the northern region of Scandinavia.

Line by Line Meaning

All male, nine by nine, hanging gently, swaying in the wind
Nine men are hanging from a tree, gently swaying in the wind.

The bark of ash absorbing the splattered heays of blood
The ash tree's bark is soaked with the blood of the sacrifices.

For the return of the sun, a winter sacrifice
The sacrifices are being made to bring back the sun during winter.

Ox, dog, horse, sheep and slave, all offered to the gods
Various animals and slaves are being offered as sacrifices to the gods.

The dusk of grey keeps falling upon the landscape bleak
The bleak landscape is becoming darker and greyer.

White gently still the bodies away, hanging in god's tree
The bodies of the sacrificed men are still hanging from the tree, swaying in the wind.

The ring of torches lighting up the heath, a ghostly shine
Torchlight illuminates the barren earth with an eerie glow.

The mighty ash unites the earth with sky for all time
The ash tree connects the earth and sky forever.

The golden meat flows freely, chant of the sun is sung
The meat from the sacrifices is being offered to the gods, and a chant is sung to welcome back the sun.

The runes are read out loud and clear, midwinter night is long
Runes are being read aloud on the longest night of winter.

Life giving disc shall fill the sky once more in all its span
The sun will rise again and bring life back to the world.

The vinterblot, a reawakening, hail Nordland
The winter sacrifice represents a rebirth, and honors the land of Nordland.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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